The Government claims that this is necessary to resolve the issue of the high levels of debt that make some Surrey councils unviable. However without a sustainable resolution of these debts, a quick change will simply set up new Councils to fail. 

The projected timescale is as follows:

• Dec 2024 – Government published Devolution White Paper
• Jan 2025 – Surrey’s Leader requests fast-track status for Surrey
• Feb 2025 – Government announced cancellation of Surrey County Council elections
• Mar 2025 – Surrey’s Councils submitted Interim Plans
• May 2025 – Surrey’s Councils to submit Firm Proposals
• May 2026 – Elections to Shadow new Unitary Authorities
• May 2027 – new Unitary Authorities take over from Surrey County Council and the 11 Districts and Boroughs
• May 2027 – elections for Mayor to head up new Strategic Authority

Whilst accepting the Government’s overall goals and direction of change, local Liberal Democrats believe the rushed timescales introduce significant risks which could harm local government in Surrey for a generation and miss some of the opportunities the changes could offer. These risks include:

• the new structure of Unitary authorities will be decided before the likely costs and financial benefits can be properly determined; see “New Councils for Surrey”
• with many fewer elected councillors, residents may find it harder to get support when they need help to engage with councils and other service providers, such as housing associations – see “How well will local residents be represented?”
• the viability of the new authorities will be jeopardised by the excessive debts inherited from some of the current councils; uncertainty about the treatment of this debt will colour any objective assessment of the alternative new structures;
• in the absence of direction from the Government and the large areas of Surrey without Town or Parish Councils, there is limited time to consider how communities can manage “hyper-local” issues and retain control over cherished community assets - see “Community assets and ‘hyper-local’ issues”
• Limited consultation with the public and stakeholders means public opinion will be ignored – see “Do your views matter”
• The process of change will be overseen and led by county Councillors whose electoral mandate will have expired – see “How well will local residents be represented?”
• Lack of time to consider options for the new Mayoral Strategic Authority mean it is unlikely to deliver the Government’s hopes for economic growth or to enable meaningful devolution of powers from Westminster – see “Strategic planning and creating economic growth” 

In January the Leaders of Surrey's Boroughs and Districts objected to the cancellation of May's County elections. We believe that the risks outlined above warrant a more considered timetable for change and that the County elections should be re-instated later this year.

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